Demountable structure



Dec. 9, 1930- L. M. PARKER 1,784,107

'DEMOUNTABLE STRUCTURE Filed July 5, 192a [72 (/6 72 07" [@SZZ Jff a'rier Attorngp',

' e th n b a t ti ll f t d t tudinal members When. the longitudinal Patented Dec. 9, 1930 i v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I LEsuErL 2mm, or EvmsroN, rumors.

nmroumumis'rnncruna Application filed July 5, i928. Serial no aeogaefj' This invention relates to demountable B. "B is the upwardly bent end ofthe spring structures of the typeadapted for 'usea's toys tongue I v i and as full-scale demountable structures. 0, C r Screws or bolts, preferably the lat- The form illustrated herewith is particularly 1 i yf sed in removably attaching i i 5 adapted to use as a structural; toy, but vit; i 'a plurality of the union pieces to form a struc- 55 not limited to that use. One-object of the lime such as t shown in Figure invention is to provide means whereby anend V D is modified m of longitudinal m or union piece may-be slipped into a longituber." It is provided with argroove D adjacent dinal piece to be removably attached t it each end; The groove as shownis ofygreatest 1 g without the use of nails or other projections depth nearest the end 'ofthe member. 'This from the longitudinal'piece; Anoth bj t Is; not an essential arrangement and any isto providein such a union piece a construc- "g gor, fieplessloll ig befllsed' AS tion whereby it may b li p d di tl t shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive the union the longitudinal p ece and h b it ill member1s readily removable from the longi- 5 such piece; Other obj t will appear f member is of the form shown in-Figure 5, the

time to time in the course of the specification union member is not readily removabled l i a p i p In Figure 6 there is shown a further, modi-' I illustrate my invention more or less'diafloation in which a longitudinal member E 2 grammatically 1n the accompanying draw- 13 used- Thlsmembl" has no p e fio in s wherein: '1 notches, grooves or' depressions ,in it. A %igure 1 is a side elevation of a o tio of modified union member F is used. It hasa a structure made according to my invention; 'flat portionas shown, in WhlCh'ODBOI more c Figure '2 is a sideelevation showing on an perforations F are made. F is a generally l d scale f th p it b r cylindrical portion. The'member is essen- 5-75 .of which-the tructure built; tially made as at, the right QIIClVOf Figure 6. t Figure 3 is a'longitudinal cross section n 'It' is slipped into one end of :one of the a further enlarged scale showing e f th longitudinal members and then by means of union pieces in position on alongitudinal a punch or any other suitable tool depressions I so piece, the section being made at3=3 of Fig. 2; F are formed. These depressions distort the 80 I 'Figure'et is an end'view'of one oftheu i cylindrical portion F and force portions of pieces; 7 I it into the material. ofthe longitudinal mem- Figure 5is amodifiedlongitudinal piece; ber E, thus making a relatively permanent Figure 6 is a further-modification. 7 union between the end members and the Li e parts are designated by likecharacter longitudinal members. g5

throughout the specification and drawings. It will be obvious that while I have shown A represents one of the longitudinal meman operative device, many changes mightbe bers." 'It may be made of wood, fiber, metal -made in the size, shape, relation, distribution U or any suitable'material. Asshown herewith and proportion of parts without departing "-40 it is'of wood. It is provided adjacent each materially from the spirit of my invention, 190 'end with anotch A. V V and I wish therefore,that my showing be B is a union piece and is provided with a considered asin? a large measure diagramgenerally flat portion as shown, and a genmatic. a g V orally cylindrical portion B. The flat por- Theuse andoperation'of my invention are tion may have two or more perforations B. as follows: ,7 5 1' B is a stop extendingacross a portion of the #fWhen a structure is to be made, a pluralopeningthrou'ghthe cylindrical portion 13. ity of longitudinal members inGthe -fOrm B is a cut-away PO'l'tlOIl in the cylindrical shown in Figures 1 to 4 ismadea'nd a plural- V gportion-B 'B is afspring tongue downity of union member-sisalso-made.v Given wardly bent and lyinginthe cut-way portion then a plurality of longitudinal members and a plurality of union members, one of the union members is slipped on each end of the longitudinal members. The longitudinal member is slipped through the cylindrical portion of the union member. As it is slipped on it contacts the downwardly bent spring member B This member is forced upwardly until the notch A comes under it. It then springs into the notch. At about this time the end of the longitudinal member strikes the downwardly bent stop B This stop holds it against further movement through the cylindrical portion of the union member and the spring B with its upwardly bent end B fitting into the notch A prevents removal from the cylindrical portion of the union member. The parts are thus held against accidental separation. When it is desired to remove the union members from the longitudinal members, it is-necessary only to twist the two relative to each other through about 90. Thefree end of the spring arm B thus rides out of the notch A and on to a smooth portion of the longitudinal member which may then be withdrawn.

hen a number of the composite members have been formed,-that is to say, members formed of the longitudinal members and two of the union members, one at each end, they may thereafter be treated as a unit and from these units a structure such as that shown in Figure 1 is built up.

For certain purposes it is desirable to form a composite building member made up of a longitudinal portion and the two end portions in which these end portions are not readily removable. For that purpose the same union member is used, but the modified longitudinal member of Figure 5 is used. The method of insertion of the end of the longitudinal member into the union member is the same as that described above, but since the groove D extends entirely about the member D, rotation of that member with relation to the union member does not permit a separation of the parts and they are thus, to all intents and purposes, permanently fastened together. hen it is desired to separate them, the member 13 is pried upwardly or otherwise positively raised until it clears the end of the longitudinal member and the latter may then be withdrawn from the cylindrical portion of the union member.

In Figure 6 the parts are initially as shown at the right of that figure. The union members are slipped on the end of the longitudi nal member. The cylindrical portion of the union member is then distorted by a prick punch or otherwise, so as to engage the end of the longitudinal member permanently. After this distortion has taken place, the union members cannot be removed from the longitudinal member. Y

I claim:

1. In combination a composite building member formed of a longitudinal member having notches adjacent its ends and a pair of union members provided with hollow portions adapted to receive an end of said longitudinal member, said union member having an engaging element adapted, in one relative rotational position to be fitted into one of said notches.

2. In combination a demountable, com-- posite building member formed of a longitudinal member having notches adjacent its ends and a pair of union members provided.

with hollow portions adapted to receive an end of said longitudinal member, said union member having a spring element adapted, in one relative rotational position, to be sprung into one of said notches. I

3. In combination, a composite structural member formed of a plurality of separable parts, including a longitudinal member and a pair of union members, one removably attached at each end, said union members formed with receiving parts adapted to receive an end of said longitudinal member, said receiving parts provided with spring en gaging members, the ends of said longitudinal member formed to be engaged by said engaging member in one relative rotational position to prevent'separation of the parts, and formed to permit separation of the parts when the same are in another relatively rotational position.

4. In combination in a structure, a plurality of removably attached composite structural members, each formed ofv a plurality of separable parts, including a longitudinal member and a pair of union members, one removably attachedat each end, said union members formed with receiving parts adapted to receive an end of said longitudinal member, said receivingparts provided with spring engaging members, the ends of said longitudinal memberf formed to be engaged by said engaging member in one relative rotationalposition to prevent separation of the parts, and formed to permit separation of the parts when the same are in another relatively rotational position. 7

5. In combination, a' composite building member, a plurality of separate and separable members includingv a'central member provided adjacent each end with a depression and a'plurality of end members, eachprovided with a receiving'portion adapted to receive an end of said central member and each provided with an engaging member adapted to fit into saiddepression.

6. In combination, a composite building member, a plurality of separate and separable members including a central member provided adjacent "each end with a depresslon'and a plurality of end members, each provided with I a receiving portion adapted to receive an end ofsaidcentral member and each provided with a spring engaging member adapted to spring into said depression.

7. n combination, a composite structural member formed of a plurality of se arable parts, including a central member an a plurality of end members, the end members provided with yielding engaging members, the

central member provided adjacent each of its ends throughout a portion of its circumference only with receiving parts adapted in one relative rotational position to receive said en aging members.

igned at Chicago county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 2nd day of July 1928.

LESLIE M. PARKER. 

